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Q395:
What is the time required to identify a magic item and is it just an Arcana check? I keep hearing "I rolled a 29 Arcana... what is this item, what does it do *exactly*, do I know anything else about it?"... and I just want to know exactly how to answer that.
A 395
According to the PHB on page 223 (under Equipment, not Skills), each character can identify one magic item per short rest ... "most of the time". The DM might make things harder if he chooses to, such as with an Arcana check, talking to a particular NPC, or learning and casting some odd ritual. No rules given for any of that in the PHB.
Q 396
World Serpent's Grasp is enacted when you hit a slow or immobilized creature. Am I correct in assuming that you can't get Headsman's Chop bonus damage for it in the same swing? (Because it wasn't prone when you hit it, only when you DAMAGE it.) Or does WSG take place DURING the "hit" timeframe, thus allowing you to also be hitting a prone creature?
Headman's Chop says "if you hit a prone target". In the situation you describe, you're not hitting a prone target: you're hitting a slowed target, which then drops prone. So it doesn't take the extra damage.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dimers
If HC would say "you gain a bonus to damage rolls against prone creatures" then it would work on a standing creature hit with WSG. But it does not.
Q 387
When one creates a NPC (to act as an enemy of the party, for example), can one create it normally as when creating a normal PC? Is there some imbalance between that and those not-in-depth steps of making a NPC in DMG? Would those be too hard or to easy to kill for, for example, same level PCs?
Thanks.
A 387
PCs kill PCs very quickly -- especially strikers, but really, any combination of PC classes would have a much briefer fight than PCs versus monsters. PCs do more damage and have fewer hit points, and they have daily powers and a wider range of utilities and item powers to apply.
(Personally, I give NPCs exactly what stats and powers make sense for them, rather than making them as monsters or as PCs.)
A 394 cont'd: Note, however, you won't be proficient in the Fullblade as a weapon, just as an implement, without spending another feat. :)
A 387 (note: we should be at 397, not 387):
My general rule to create a possibly-persistent NPC should be to build them as elites. Elites have a buffer of HP so they won't die as fast as normal monsters (which can be expected to die on the first round against a party). Solos is also an option, but those I try to reserve for "boss" type NPCs.
Q 398
The 2-power-point augmentation of the battlemind lightning rush power says "you become the target of the triggering attack" (emphasis mine). If the trigger was an area or close attack, are other creatures in the original AoE still targeted?
A398Quote:
Originally Posted by Dimers
Interesting reading of the power. Even considering that, I say yes. My logic has to do with the power itself. You are interrupting an attack on an ally. You are not interrupting an attack on all allies. So, for example, if a dragon uses its breath on your allies and you lightning rush it when it would hit your wizard, you are only redirecting the one attack, not the entire attack power.
Or, as the power says: "Trigger: An enemy within 5 squares of you targets an ally with an attack."
Therefore, it can only redirect the attack. Singular. It does not redirect the entire attack power, simply that one attack.
Likewise: "... and you become the target of the triggering attack." Same thing here.
A 398, continued. tcrudisi has it right; here's the official word inasmuch as there is one.
Here's the customer service answer, which I actually agree with...
http://community.wizards.com/go/thre...m=32#482437745
Q3 is the direct analogue to your question. The others are just good information. :smallsmile: It basically works in the easiest, most direct fashion - that is, you become the target of the specific attack/damage/effect that would be hitting your ally. Important note - this means you can be hit twice by the same burst or blast if you're not careful!Quote:
Question: 1) If you moved out of the area of the burst or blast as part of Lightning Rush are you still targetted by the burst or blast?
Answer: If you are no longer a legal target as part of that initial burst or blast after your Interrupt finishes resolving, you will not be targeted any longer by the burst/blast effects. However, as per the Augment 2 Hit line, you may still be made a target of the triggering attack.
Question: 2) Does the burst or blast need to be moved to include you?
Answer: No, it stays where it is.
Question: 3) Is it possible for another creature to still be targetted by the burst or blast, or does it only effect you because you are "the target".
Answer: Lightning Rush only switches the target from the ally that you chose to trigger it on to you. The rest of the targets would be affected as normal.
-O
Thanks. As a word nerd, I feel that lightning rush should be phrased in a better way, but I'm relieved that WotC stands with the sensible answer.
EDIT: The only reason I asked in the first place was because, for an AoE power, the triggering attack *is* just one attack on multiple targets. Otherwise, a monk with a blurred strike ki focus would be one of the better strikers in the game, instead of just an interesting option ... um ... for example. Not that I've tried to build one, or anything. :smallredface:
Q 399
The magic weapon Mage's Weapon has a line that reads:
If a sorcerer has implement proficiency with a dagger, does the implement proficiency also extend. I suppose the more direct way to ask is, is the Mage's Weapon an implement?Quote:
Property: Anyone proficient with simple weapons or the dagger is proficient with this weapon.
A399
Being proficient with a weapon does not imply you are proficient with it as an implement. Because it says you are proficient with this weapon, only weapon proficiency is implied. IMO, anyway.
-O
Yeah, time for some confusion! For an AoE power, it's one attack power. It's multiple attacks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dimers
Q 400
According to the PHB, in the section about temporary hit points:
In PHB3, there an Ardent Utility 2:Quote:
Don’t Add Together: If you get temporary hit
points from different sources, use the higher value as
your temporary hit point total instead of adding the
values together.
The rules say that the hit points don't stack if they're from different sources, but since it's the same power providing these temporary hit points, does that count as the same source? Or does that just mean the set amount of THPs are restored at the beginning of every round?Quote:
Wellspring of Vigor
Effect: Until the end of the encounter, whenever the target
starts his or her turn and is not bloodied, he or she gains
temporary hit points equal to 1 + your Constitution
modifier.
A 400
It's best to go to the Rules Compendium for this one. RC p. 258-9 state the rules for temp hp:
"Not Cumulative: If a creature receives temporary hit points multiple times, use the highest value as its temporary hit point total. Do not add the values together. For example, a creature receives 5 temporary hit points and later receives 5 temporary hit points again before the first 5 were used. It now has 5 temporary hit points, not 10.
Likewise, if a creature's temporary hit points have been reduced and the creature receives temporary hit points again, it benefits from the higher number. For example, a creature gains 10 temporary hit points and takes 8 damage, reducing its temporary hit points to 2, then receives 5 temporary hit points. It now has 5 temporary hit points, not 7."
And because this is a rule that either changed or I screwed up until the RC came out:
"Until a Rest: A creature's temporary hit points last until they're reduced to 0 or until the creature takes a short rest or an extended rest."
Why is that notable? Use a power that grants temp hp before the combat starts and they'll stay there. (Pallies with Virtue, I'm looking at you.)
Q 401
If I use the power Quick Portal (Manual of the Planes - Paragon Path: Planeshifter), or the rituals Linked Portal or Planar Portal (or anything else similar) how does a creature move through the portal? Do they teleport through if they physically cross through, or do they have to willingly do it?
Can an unatended object (say a wagon) be teleported? What about an object thrown into the portal (like a baseball, or an arrow shot by someone)?
Will something on the other side of the portal manifest on this side of the portal for a while (if the destination circle is underwater, will the water come pouring out? If there's a Large-sized Orb of Annihilation floating above the destination circle, will it annihilate things for me?)
I understand that the answers might be different based on which teleportation powers are discussed. I am primarily interested in Quick Portal, but also want answers about Linked Portal.
Thanks! (Oh, and yes, my DM used a Large-sized Orb of Annihilation against us in one boss encounter, and didn't use DM fiat to make it vanish at the end. There was also a teleportation circle in the room, so my wizard who was already pursuing the Planeshifter PP is now very excited)
A 401: I'm going to talk about Linked Portal first; you and your GM can use the conclusions here as a guide for how Quick Portal might work (although I post my own thoughts where appropriate). In any case, this is going to require DM approval for it to work the way I think you're hoping it to work.Quote:
Originally Posted by malachi
But here's the TL/DR with Quick Portal and a Sphere of Annihilation: no, it doesn't work by RAW if your desire is to teleport people into the sphere.
The wording of Linked Portal (which is also what Planar Portal uses) says that anyone who enters the circle at the origin point "teleports", indicating that objects or people do not need to be "willing" to do so (but as mentioned later, certain "destinations" may allow a saving throw to prevent teleporting). Note that the wording of the spell suggests that the destination and entry points of a portal do not share a space in common; one is on one side or the other. As an example the ritual gives, environmental effects on one end don't affect environmental effects on the other. In other words, you can't "straddle" the worlds. You're in one, of you're in the other.
It's unclear whether a teleportation circle (such as linked portal) requires the other end to be "empty" (i.e. not containing a goliath warden, an unattended cart, or a sphere of annihilation). Normal rules for teleportation powers (such as those found on character abilities) are explicit that the destination needs to be an unoccupied space that the creature/object can fit into "without squeezing". Note that the RAW wording for Linked Portal doesn't describe the movement as "teleportation" (it simply says "instantly appears"). Unless you want to introduce "telefragging" to your 4e game however, it might be a good rule to implement (albeit it might screw with the sphere of annihilation plan). I would suggest assuming that Linked Portal and it's ilk must follow the general rules for teleportation unless contradicted by the spell text, but this is your DM's call (Note: Quick Portal would fall under all of these rules as it has the Teleportation key word!).
Theoretically, an unattended wagon could therefore move through (not fall, unless the destination circle is somehow on something other than on the ground, or if the wagon really did fall from above), but as you would normally need to draw the magic circle on a space cleared of such things as wagons, the circumstances where the cart gets pushed in without the aid of an outside source would be rare one would think.
An object could be thrown through a linked portal, as long as it fits into the space.
While I think by RAW, a circle that was "underwater" that got a linked portal through it would cause water to spill out (I wouldn't consider it an environmental effect), note that arcane rituals tend to require materials that are not water friendly (per the PHB: "powdered metals, rare earths,
acids, salts, or extracts from creatures such as dragons or basilisks"). It is doubtful therefore that a teleportation circle could exist underwater given how difficult it would be to either create, or from being disrupted as soon as water started washing away some of the materials used to make the circle. I think this would have to be a DM call (I would say no).
Theoretically putting a Sphere of Annihilation on the other side of a portal could work, but as mentioned before it would require DM approval (as mentioned, teleportation effects assume that the over side is unoccupied). Additionally, the wording of the ritual says that creatures could "see" what is on the other side, so they may not willingly go through (albeit a DC 34 Arcana check to recognize what it is per the DMG description). Additionally, the rules of teleportation powers state that if the destination square has "hindering terrain" (I think an Sphere of Annihilation would count) then the target is allowed a saving throw to prevent himself from teleporting, whether he recognizes the threat or not.
Finally, with Quick Portal you would have to follow all the rules of Teleportation: The destination square must be unoccupied. No Spheres of Annihilation can be present! You could theoretically move the sphere through the portal to the other side after opening a Quick Portal, but that is a lot of healing surges to make that work (and not what you were hoping I figure).
Ashdate, thanks for the explanation! I agree that probably shouldn't be able to use an encounter utility power as an instant "enemy-dies-now" button with 100% success (even though it does cost surges), so I'm fine with not being able to telefrag people against their will.
I have interesting plans for quick portal now, and they DON"T involve an orb of annihilation. (And it might possibly be a bad thing to feed more stuff to it... I'm not exactly sure what the BBEG did that caused it to get so darn big in the first place. He might have just been feeding it. And I don't really want to come back from the Feywild one day and find out that I annihilated the kingdom in the real world.)
Q 401 b
Your comment about hindering terrain brings up the following question: does a teleportation circle / Quick Portal by itself count as hindering terrain? Would a target have the chance to make a saving throw to avoid teleporting away if the destination happened to be a perfectly normal, boring jail cell (... that has a teleportation circle in it...)?
A 401b: the RAW definition of hindering terrain (DMG pg 61) pegs hindering as that which "prevents" or "seriously punishes" movement, or "damages" creatures as they enter it.Quote:
Originally Posted by malachi
Alone, a Quick Portal probably doesn't count, given that a boring jail cell wouldn't meet any of the strict definitions of "hindering terrain" (your DM could take a very literal view and suggest that a jail cell, despite the 5ft increments being unoffensive by themselves, certainly "seriously punishes" movement when combined with the iron bars that prevent escape).
That said, you would need to prevent the monster from simply moving back through the portal between the time you shove him into it, and the end of your next turn, but I figure you could work that out.
If I was your DM, I would allow the creature to get a saving throw. As I am not, you will need to discuss with him about any shenanigans you wish to get up to with Quick Portal.
A 401b Powers count as terrain if and only if the power description explicitly says so. For example, the power Icy Terrain states that it creates terrain, and therefore it does. The power Wall of Fire does not state that it creates terrain, and therefore it does not, and the same applies to Quick Portal.Quote:
Originally Posted by malachi
Q 402 - Unconsciousness and Powers
402a. Do (non-stance/zone/conjuration/polymorph) powers that last until the end of an encounter dissipate when the user unconscious? Specifically, Oath of Enmity, Aspect of Might and Longtooth Shifting?
402b. Do powers and abilities that have an effect that triggers on or until the user's next turn dissipate when the user falls unconsious. (E.G. Avenging Echo or Censure of Retribution.)
...
Just trying to clear up a bit of contention between myself and the GMs of one of the games I'm in.
A 402 Powers do exactly what is written in the power, no more, no less. Unless you can find an explicit rule that says a power ends when you're unconscious (which you can't, because there's no such rule except for stance powers), then it ends when the power says it does.
Q403
An enemy my players will soon be facing (next Saturday :smallbiggrin:) has the following power:
TRIGGERED ACTION:
Pluck the Mind’s Eye (illusion) * At-Will
Trigger: When targeted by an attack.
Attack (Immediate Interrupt): Ranged 20 or Melee 1 (one creature);
+16 vs. Will;
Hit: Paldemar is invisible to the attacker (save ends).
Does Paldemar get to use this every time he's targeted by an attack? Or is it only once per turn? I guess what I'm really asking is can you take an unlimited number of At-Will Immediate Interrupt actions?
A403
You can use an at-will power whenever you have an action of the appropriate type to spend. You get one immediate action after the end of your turn and lose it if it hasn't been used before the beginning of your next turn. In short, you can take at most one immediate action per round and cannot use it on your own turn. So, you can use an at-will immediate-action power only once per round.
A403
Each combatant is limited to one immediate action per round. I would suggest reading the box on PHB pg. 268 before you run the encounter.
Q404: Some of the Essentials classes gain Utility powers at 4th level. If you're doing a hybrid class, does this count toward your utility powers from both classes? Say you're hybridizing with a class that doesn't gain anything from level 4 besides the ability score increase, does that mean you have to take the level 2 utility from the other class? I'm really not used to the Essentials classes, so some things are a bit unclear to me.
A404 Most 4.4 classes can't hybrid.Quote:
Originally Posted by shamgar001
That said, the hybrid rule is simply that you may not choose a second utility power from class A unless you have one from class B. It doesn't matter what level the latter power actually is. If you have a level-4 utility from class B, then you have an utility from class B, so you may choose your level-6 utility from class A.
A 404
Look at the power line itself. Top line, should give the name of the power, the class that gets it, and it's level. Hybrids are able to pick any power that they qualify for class and level. If the power doesn't have a level, hybrids can't take it. Essential hybrids are a bit wonky, but the rules are the same for them as the standard ones. Psionic classes also have fun as hybrids.
Q 405
Using a standard action, can you command a companion (Beastmaster, Sentinel, Fey Beast Tamer) to charge?
A404
Not every post-PHB3 class can hybridize. Those who can are...Quote:
Originally Posted by shamgar001
Assassin (Executioner)
Binder
Blackguard
Cavalier
Sentinel
Vampire
For those, you just follow their write-ups in Dragon 400, exactly like with other Hybrids. You gain powers as per a standard PHB1 PC.
I think you're looking at Call Celestial Steed, right? Check page 6 at the bottom.
-O
A 405
EDIT: I might be wrong on part of my reasoning. See a few posts downQuote:
Originally Posted by Tegu8788
My answer actually changed while I was researching it. This is only for Sentinels and FBTs (and Summons, by extension). I haven't researched Beastmasters specifically.
The rules just say this...
(1) You must spend a Standard action to command your summoned creature or companion to make a Standard action. It doesn't seem to restrict you to actions found within the stat block.
(2) The Companion creatures have an MBA, which is a basic requirement for a charge.
(3) Unlike with Conjurations, Summoned creatures and Companions get to to stuff like make OAs even if their stat block doesn't specifically say so; you just have to spend your OA to let them do it.
In the end - yep. You can do it.
But keep in mind your turn ends after a charge; I'd argue this even applies to a Companion's charge, but the rules get weird there.
-O